Homeward Bound?
by Jeanne M
Summary: Prelude:  Explores Jubilee's past directly after the death of her parents.  Implied sexual situations.      Part 1:  A glimpse at her time living in the mall, ending with the M Squad.
1. Homeward Bound? ......Prelude.....

Usual: Characters? NOT MINE. Money? NOT MAKING ANY. Warning- not happy thoughts. Dark, especially given the character. We all know she spent some time in a state care facility, but what really went on during that time? What is her reason for all the bitterness towards authority? All named characters belong to Marvel comics.  
  


******how much time has passed******* (Incase you couldn't figure it out)  
  


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Homeward Bound? 

**_Prelude._**__  
  


Jeanne M.  
  
  
  
  
  


"Jubilee? Are you ready?" She looks over at me, hands flexing in excitement.  
  
"Does a mallrat eat chilli fries? C'mon CynJen, let's do it."  
  
*************three months*****************

"NononononononoNO! My parents aren't dead. You're kidding. Ha ha. Joke over. Wait, what do you mean 'Correctional Institute?' No, no!" 

**************four weeks*****************

"Stop it! You can't do this!" My head is thrown up against the wall, and a shearing pain shoots behind my eyes. No no no no no no no no. He can't do this. He's not supposed to be doing this!

"Shut up ya stupid Chink. I can do what I want, comprende? No one's gonna believe a delinquent like you over a guard. Now shut up. Be a good girl, and this won't hurt. Much."

*************one week*******************

"See Jubes? You move the wire like this, then, presto! Open door!"  
  
"Kicking." I lean in closer. "Show me again."

*************six months***************

"I want out. You can't keep me here. You have nothing on me."  
  
"Miss Lee, incase you haven't noticed, your parents are dead. You have no money. You are a ward of the state. And the state says you are staying here indefinitely. As you say, you have no official criminal record, but I know your kind very well indeed. Listen to me you gangbanging slut, you are going to be taught a lesson that you'll never forget. Guard, please put her in solitary. For a week."

***************one week****************

"Hey." At that, she glances at me from her top bunk, and raises an eyebrow.  
  
"Hey kid, still alive, huh? You look like shit. But that's not surprising considering what our friends Ugly & Leering have been bragging about what they did to you. Sick fuckers."  
  
"You're telling me." Assholes. They'll get theirs.  
  
"Sorry. Didn't mean it that way."  
  
"I know. Listen, can you teach me more about locks? Ya know. Just incase."

***************two months**************

"This sucks. I hate you! All of you! You don't care what's best for me! Bullshit man, bullshit! I won't go to China, I won't! Just try it you fuckers, just try."

**************three days****************

"I'm leaving."  
  
"They're shipping you out, huh? Bad shit."  
  
"No, I'm leaving. Care to join me." It's not a question.  
  
"Kid, are you nuts? They'll get you before you leave the ward!"  
  
"Not if I take out the cameras and guards. With these." My hands light up our cell, I see her lean in.  
  
"You're a mutant."  
  
"Yup." Beat. "Gotta problem with that?"  
  
"Nope. When do we leave?"

**************one day***************

Free. Free free free! I watch her slip off down an ally. We have to split up, they'll be looking for two girls. Goodbye. I turn, run. Run! And I don't stop. Ever.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**End Prelude**  
  
  
  
  
  


Not my typical style, I know..... I'm very wary of writing almost all dialogue. Call it a mad whim. With more mad whims to come. Let me know what you think.  
  


Jeanne M. 

Sunstar80@hotmail.com


	2. Homeward Bound?  .......Part 1.......

Usual: Characters? NOT MINE. I only wish. Sorry, I have no money. And I'm not making any from this either. If I could, do you think I'd be working the job that I do? My thanks to the people who so patiently waited for this, I know it's not in the same style as Prelude, but the next one is looking like a dialog-story. Sorry this took so long, and by popular demand........ Homeward Bound? .....Part One....!!! Onwards!!!  
  


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Homeward Bound?

_Part 1_  
  


Jeanne M.  
  
  
  


Of all the places, who'd a thunk it? Me, living in a mall. Go figure. At least it's warm here, and dry. It rains outside, so in here is better. Of course, there's always 'mall security' to worry about. Not.

"There she is again!" Look! Right on time. That jerk-off has it in for me. I've seen and dealt with worse, so he can just undue that wedgie.

"Just leave her be, the kid's not doing anybody harm." What's a nice guy like him doing in a mall like this? Shoulda been a social worker, not a security geek. As per usual, I decide discretion to be the better part of survival, and opt to cut and run.

" 'Scuse me, move please. Persecuted minority coming through." I vault confused shoppers and skid around the plaza into the women's restrooms. Bingo! I can hear the skateboarders jeering the security creeps as they radio for a female officer. Newsflash boys, she's on vacation. Always know your opponent authority figure, that's my motto. Along with stay alive and don't get caught, but hey. One never can have too many maxims.

"Long time, no see Lee." 

"Yeah, well, you know me. Always at one party or another." I keep my voice neutral, and turn around slowly. She is the LAST person I expected to see here. "What can I do ya for, CynJen? Or have ya just come to gawk at the freakshow?"

"Chill. I heard through the yuppie juvie-kid's network about a Chinese girl living in a mall and dazzling the customers with light shows for money. Seems she showed up about three weeks after those creepazoids from county juvie showed up at my place looking for you. I may be a valley girl, but I ain't stupid."

"Yeah, well, gold star for you." I don't mean to sound bitter, but I am. "I needed a place to crash that I could lift from. The streets of LA aren't exactly the best unless you belong to some 'familia' or another."

"Chica, you got 'familia.' You got me and the others. 'Sides, the 'boarders think we're gods! You an' me are the fastest things on wheels! We own this valley, and all the gallerias in it!" She's agitated, she wants something. I can smell it. "We can take what we want, and with your powers......"

She doesn't get a chance to finish. I pin her to the bathroom wall, my hand holding my new switchblade where she can see it very very clearly. "Get one thing through that peroxide head of yours CynJen. NEVER mention my powers again. You think the two of us could live the goodlife, huh? Well guess what. You've got mommy and daddy to bail you out. This is a game to you. I've seen hell first hand kid, and I am not going back there. This is survival, this is real." I step back, hurt at the terrified look on her face. "Go home."

"I am home." Soft, so soft. "You think that house is home? You know better. I'm a mallrat, I live here, there, wherever there's a foodcourt. I'm still your friend Jubilee, I always have been. I pestered mom and dad for months to adopt you, but County said that since you had family in China, ya weren't even eligable for foster care. Whenever I came to visit, you were 'unavailable.' We both know that's all bullshit, but what did you expect me to do? Mount a full scale rescue?" 

"I know. Now git. You don't need being seen with me on yer record." She slips off, and I climb into the airvent and make my way to the crawlspace I call home.  
  


***** three weeks *****  
  


"Second verse, same as the first, but a whole lot louder and a whole lot worse!" I flip over a befuddled secura-creep and gracefully piroutte, sending off shimmering paffs to my delighted audience. "Dowop a sham bam boo!"

"Someone nab her!!!!"

"Can't you dudes find someone else to bother? Like someone who's parked illegally?" A skateboarder in the audience yells at the huff n' puffs. "Jubilee's smooth!"

"Scat kid, or you and your loitering buddies are next!" The 'boarder just gives the creep the finger, accidentally tripping him in the process. I wink.

"Tweedledumb and Tweedledumber went walking in the park one day...." I gesture one arm to each of the rent-a-badges closing in on either side of me. ".......and ended up looking like total losers." My arms cross, fingers snap, and both of them are dealing with the dangers of fireworks up close and personal. "Didn't yer mommies ever tell you not to play with human matches?"  
  
  
  


****** one month ******  
  


My clothes are starting to fit a little too loose. Time to borrow some new ones from that one boutique I like so much. The open air food vendors aren't coming around now- it's the off season. Stealing from the food court is a no-go, they redid it a few weeks back so everything is behind a counter. I think it was just to spite me. Now I either have to pay for the food with my 'earnings' or steal it after hours. I could just steal it, but then I run the risk of a security camera catching me on film. That'd lose me my hideout. It's a good thing I'm so tiny, not many people could live in the airduct system. It ain't the Hills, but anything's better than getting caught and being sent back. I can't go back. I think I'd rather die than get sent back to that hell. 

I'm afraid I'd kill anyone who tried to take me back.

The scary part is.....I know I would. And I wouldn't care.  
  


***** five days *****  
  


This is my chance. It still sits there. Invitation, or accident. I don't care. I can't stay here, so that gateway is my only option. I don't know why they saved me from that machine, or who they are. To be honest, I don't really care. They're 'special' like me. Mutants. Very powerful ones, too. Self-preservation says I'll be safer with them. I don't trust 'em worth shit, but that's okay. I can always stay out of sight.....wherever _there_ is. I edge towards the portal. I hear the cops questioning those maniacs with the machine. I wish I had time to go back to my "home", but I doubt this thing is going to wait much longer.

So I jump.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


_End Part One. _


End file.
